Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue

Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue
Map
LocationPlains, Georgia, United States
TypeRoadside attraction
MaterialWooden hoops, chicken wire, aluminum foil, and polyurethane.
Height13 feet (4.0 m)
Completion date1976
Dedicated toJimmy Carter

The Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue is a monument located in Plains, Georgia, United States. Built in 1976, the roadside attraction depicts a large peanut with a big smile, and was built to support Jimmy Carter during the 1976 United States presidential election.

History

The statue was commissioned by the Indiana Democratic Party during the 1976 United States presidential election to support Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter's campaign through Indiana.[1] The statue, a 13-foot (4.0 m) peanut, references Carter's previous career as a peanut farmer.[2] According to The New York Times, the statue is made of "wooden hoops, chicken wire, aluminum foil, and polyurethane".[3] The peanut features a grin, modeled after Carter's, which he was known for during the campaign.[1][4] The statue is the second-tallest statue of a peanut in the world, with the "World's Largest Peanut" located several miles away in Ashburn, Georgia.[4] The statue initially was located at the train station in Plains, but in 2000, it was damaged in a car wreck, and after repairs it was moved to an area along Georgia State Route 45,[1][2] near the Baptist church where Carter taught Sunday school.[4] At one time, the statue featured a large hole on its rear side, which, according to urban legend, was cut by the United States Secret Service to ensure there were no explosives or assassins in the statue.[5]

Maintenance and reception

Every few years, the statue is re-painted in the shade of "peanut" by Michael Dominik.[6] Jimmy Carter has admitted that he dislikes the peanut's smile.[6] Jill Stuckey, the superintendent of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, claimed that Carter “hates” the statue, which stands on the route between his house and the church he attended weekly.[7] Despite Carter’s alleged feelings towards the statue, it has become a town symbol and roadside attraction. In 2010, Time listed it as one of the Top 50 American Roadside Attractions.[1]

Beginning in 2018, pictures of the statue have been used in internet meme culture, with many pictures of the statue being characterized as cursed images.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Rawlings, Nate (July 28, 2010). "Top 50 American Roadside Attractions". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Parker, Najja (June 3, 2018). "What to know about the Jimmy Carter Smiling Peanut". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  3. ^ Henderson, Nancy Bearden (January 5, 2003). "In Plains, Carter Is a Working Attraction". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Hunt, Emma (April 18, 2018). "Pump the brakes for these larger-than-life Southern landmarks". Atlanta. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  5. ^ "This Election Day, Let This Smiling Peanut Remind You of a Kinder Time in Politics". Slate. The Slate Group. November 8, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Plains 'smiling peanut' gets facelift as residents prepare to say goodbye to Jimmy Carter". The Seattle Times. February 20, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  7. ^ ”Jimmy Carter National Historical Park Tour with Superintendent Jill Stuckey” by Gruppetstudios on YouTube. Uploaded May 27, 2023. Accessed June 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "This Pleases the Nut". March 2019.

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